Start approvals now or face delay, Gulf junior miners warned • earthtrade

Junior explorers across Far North Queensland’s Herberton-Chillagoe region have been urged to get their environmental approvals under way as a priority.

Brisbane-based offsets consultancy earthtrade said the EPBC Act process could take between 12 and 18 months.

Herberton became famous for a major tin discovery in the 1880s. Precious and base-metals mining ran through the Chillagoe district for decades into the Second World War.

Iltani drilling in the Link Zone outside the established mineral resource at its Orient Project

The region is back in the explorer spotlight, with the gold price at record levels.

Modern resource companies are acquiring, consolidating and exploring groups of historical tenements, transitioning older small-scale leases into broader Exploration Permits for Minerals (EPMs).

Main image: Savannah Goldfields run of mine

Savannah Goldfields (ASX: SVG), Green and Gold Minerals (ASX: GG1) and Iltani Resources (ASX: ILT) are among those regularly reporting drill results to the Australian Securities Exchange.

Much of the area was considered undisturbed, and it would attract particular attention from the regulator, earthtrade director Thomas Key said.

“That’s going to be an interesting area, I think, for offsets because it’s an intact region. It’s not like there’s been the broadscale clearing that has occurred in other regions.

“That just means it’s or prime for having offset requirements due to the intact condition of the region.. So it’s going to need full assessment for biodiversity and the Federal agencies are going to be all over it.”

Part of the approvals process was subjective, Mr Key said.

“Where one of our projects might legally tick a box, a different case officer in the project next door will say, ‘you should be doing this to get a real environmental benefit.’ That’s when we get clashes.”

Miners in the gulf country were advised to start the offsets process early, Mr Key said.

“If you wait for the final investment decision, the project will be delayed,” he said. “Even if you aren’t doing deals, start budgeting. This is going to be a real cost in time and money as part of your operation.

“You’re going to be securing, at least cost-wise, five, six, seven times your impact area in terms of offset country to protect and rehabilitate.”

Changes made last year to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 were meant to streamline approvals by aligning federal and state legislation.

The Queensland Productivity Commission will hand down its final report on the federal EPBC reforms to the Queensland Government by 13 April 2027.

Explorers weighing their offset exposure can talk to earthtrade for a commercial assessment before they commit. Call the earthtrade office on 1300 036 401.